The Best Intentions
by Ren Kayashima
Summary: With things finally looking up for Stephanie after her best kept secret came out, it seems like nothing can bring her down. However, wedding plans and happily ever afters may just have to wait until a new danger has past. Slight AU Babe. Part 2. TEMPORARILY ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Author: Ren Kayashima

Rating: T

Disclaimer: It is sad to say that my attempt to get the rights to the Stephanie Plum characters was unsuccessful. They still belong to Janet Evanovich, who is one lucky person for having a mind like that.

**This is the second story in a series. The first story is The Best Kept Secrets. I recommend you read it if you haven't, or you may be lost.**

0o0o0o0

Chapter One:

September 6, 2011

Stephanie Plum had lived a very interesting life. From the time when she was a little girl and thought she could fly off of her parent's garage, to the day she lost her virginity behind the éclair case to the infamous Joseph Morelli. There was her somewhat embarrassing, yet surprisingly impressive career as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie, and four years of built up sexual tension between herself and the devilishly handsome Carlos Manoso. But possibly the most interesting thing about her life was her daughter who seemed to inherit Stephanie's natural propensity for trouble. It was all very interesting to say the least, and it was only guaranteed to become more interesting in the coming months.

Almost eighteen years ago, Stephanie had been raped while visiting a friend in New York, and for almost that long as well, she had managed to keep her daughter a secret. It hadn't been easy, but she wasn't without help. After she had been beaten and left for garbage in a dark alley, a Good Samaritan by the name of Cayden McAllister had come to Stephanie's rescue. He took her to this home, and over time the two had become best friends. Cayden even adopted Allegra when she had been born. Along with Cayden, only three other people in Stephanie's inner circle knew about her pregnancy: Mary Lou, Grandma Mazur, and her father.

It had been eight months since Trenton found out about Stephanie's best kept secret, and things had finally fallen into a rhythm. Stephanie left her sparsely furnished apartment, and moved in with Cayden and Allegra in Princeton proper. She finally figured out her feeling for Ranger weren't purely sexual, and started a long anticipated relationship with him. After years of an on again off again relationship with Morelli, the two had been permanently locked into the friend zone, and they were both okay with that. Ranger's daughter was now living in New Jersey with them so it felt more like a family than ever before.

There were still a couple downsides, like the attempted rape of Allegra and later Stephanie's own rapist escaping jail and coming after her and their daughter. But for the most part, things were looking up for Stephanie, and she was welcoming it with open arms.

Ranger and Stephanie were even engaged, which was perhaps the best part of everything. It was a thought that made her heart pitter patter with glee every time she looked at the small, simple diamond ring.

He proposed the day of their house warming party. He had pulled her from the loud house to the quiet, and more private, atmosphere of the backyard. Ranger never made big shows of emotion, so the backyard would be the perfect small setting. It was away from the rest of the guest, and he could do what he wanted to do without being interrupted. Unfortunately, Fate didn't like to listen to everyone.

0o0

_June 23, 2011_

_Ranger reached into his cargo pants and pulled out an elegant red box. Stephanie felt her heart jump out of her chest as she realized what Ranger was about to do._

"_Stephanie Plum, will you marry me?" he asked earnestly as he got down on one knew. Even he knew that this was not how he would normally express himself in this way, but Stephanie wasn't normal and this question called for tradition._

_Stephanie swallowed as she moved a hand to cover her mouth. Tears sprung up in her eyes as the small diamond sparkled in the sunlight. "Oh," she whispered. She met Ranger's gentle gaze and smiled. "Yes," she said simply as the tears started to fall. "God yes!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck._

_Ranger wrapped his arms around his love's waist to make sure the two of them didn't fall on the ground. He didn't expect her to say no, but it still thrilled him to hear her say yes._

_Helen Plum had been working in the kitchen catering to the whims of every house guest as Allegra played the piano. Stephanie had disappeared, but she wasn't the kind of person who knew how to entertain anyway, so Helen was happy to take up hostly duties. _

_It was by chance that Helen looked out the sliding doors just as Ranger slipped a ring on her daughter's finger. It didn't take long for the mother to figure out that Ranger had just proposed and Stephanie had said yes. Helen gasped as Tank walked over to the fridge to grab some water. HE curiously walked over and felt himself smiled. Ranger had finally done it._

"_He proposed," Helen whispered happily before it settled in. "He proposed!" she exclaimed._

_The music from the piano stopped abruptly as party guest moved to the kitchen to see what had Helen Plum so excited. Helen pointed out the window and everyone's attention was then drawn to the newly engaged couple. _

"_Move," Allegra McAllister grunted as she bobbed and weaved through the large crowd. He white hair stood out as people were pushed and shoved. Her petit five foot tall frame bumped into Tank. She looked up and winced when the kitchen light his her sensitive albino eyes. "What's going on?" she asked Ranger's right hand man._

_Tank bent down and lifted Allegra up so she could see over everyone else in the kitchen. Allegra braced her hands on Tank's shoulders. "Ranger asked your mom to marry him," he grunted._

_Allegra tapped Tank to put her down. "Finally," she sighed. "Took the man long enough to get his head out of the sand."_

_Tank laughed as Helen found her husband. Helen started to cry tears of joy as Frank took her hand. "She's getting married."_

_Allegra opened the sliding door to get away from the crowd. She quickly squeezed through the small opening and shut the door as she smiled at Ranger and her mom. "Gram dropped the bomb on everyone. Have fun explaining everything, I'm going to avoid people on the front porch."_

_Stephanie buried her face in Ranger's chest in slight embarrassment. Everyone had their noses pressed against the glass, and she knew that her private moment with Ranger would now be the buzz of the Burg tomorrow morning._

0o0

Stephanie heard the front door open and glanced at the wall clock. School got out twenty minutes ago. "Mom," Allegra called from the front of the house. "We're home."

Stephanie sighed as she stood up. Allegra and Julie went to Princeton High School together along with their friends. Allegra was scheduled to take some of her core classes at Princeton University, but gave up the opportunity so that she and Julie could spend more time together in a regular school setting. The two teenagers came in with their backpacks in hand.

"How was school?" Stephanie asked.

Julie smiled and dropped her backpack on the ground. "I'm so happy to be going to school with everyone. Zook and I can finally hang out with the rest of the Wonderland Brigade." Julie was referring to the rest of Allegra's friends, who had all been given nicknames from Lewis Carol's _Through the Looking Glass _and _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. _Julie was the Cheshire Cat and Allegra was Alice.

"Yeah," Stephanie smiled. Zook's mother had managed to snag a full time receptionist job in Princeton (and Cayden swore that he had nothing to do with it), so her son had been successfully transferred to the local high school. It was only by 'coincidence' that it was Julie and Allegra's school. In the previous school year, Zook and Julie had finished the year in Trenton.

"Mrs. Covington gave us our first reading assignment for American Lit," Allegra sighed as she slipped her messenger bag off of her shoulder after she dropped a stack of books on the coffee table. Stephanie winced at the loud smack it made against the wood.

"Why don't we get you a bigger backpack," Stephanie suggested. "I'm sure it would be easier to carry everything."

"I'm fine," Allegra stated as she moved over to the couch to sit down. She fell into the plush cushions and let out a content sigh.

"Can I borrow Red Riding Hood?" Stephanie asked referring to Allegra's old Volkswagen Beetle that had been painted Candy Apple Red.

"You aren't going after skips are you?" Allegra asked warily.

"No, I'm just going to check in with Connie and Lula," Stephanie almost moaned. Given her talent for blowing up cards, her daughter had yet to let her borrow the Bug. It was her precious car, and if anything happened to it, Stephanie was sure that her daughter would probably go postal.

Allegra bit her lip before pulled her car keys from her bag. "Okay," she said. "I just want my car in one piece when you get home. Where's Ranger's second car?"

"Ranger took it back to Rangeman to have standard maintenance done on it," Stephanie answered as she started tapping her foot. "Try and get the majority of your homework done before Cayden gets home. I think he's ordering Chinese tonight."

Allegra smiled and nodded. "I'll help Julie on her math if she needs it again."

"I'm perfectly fine when it comes to math!" Julie stated adamantly.

Allegra pulled the car keys off of a ring of souvenir key rings and handed them to Stephanie.

"Thank you," Stephanie smiled as she walked over to her large purse. "I'll see you two later. Happy studying."

"We'll try," Julie muttered.

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: Okay, so this should have been out like… four months ago, but I just couldn't seem to write a beginning that I actually liked. I'm still not sure how I feel about this chapter, but it recapped the important parts of the last story while also presenting you guys with some new information. I hope you guys enjoy it.

It's the middle of National Novel Writing Month, so The Best Intentions is one project that I'm working on when I'm not trying to get to that glorified 50,000 words in just a month's time. I seem to be okay so far. I'm currently at 16,586 words, so I don't need to worry too much about the word count thing.

Anywho, leave me a review, and I'll see about getting the next chapter out ASAP.

Shane


	2. Chapter 2

Author: Ren Kayashima

Rating: T

Disclaimer: It is sad to say that my attempt to get the rights to the Stephanie Plum characters was unsuccessful. They still belong to Janet Evanovich, who is one lucky person for having a mind like that.

0o0o0o0

Chapter Two:

September 6, 2011

Stephanie sat outside the bail bonds trailer with Connie and Lula. They all sat in lawn chairs that Connie had brought from home, and each woman held a glass of ice cold lemonade. They all watched the cars that passed by in silence. Vinnie was off bailing a couple of guys out for lifting a series of muscle cars, and Stephanie had brought in all outstanding FTAs. Truly, there was nothing to do.

Connie looked over at Stephanie. "So, what's it like living with Batman full time?" she asked curiously. She sucked at her straw and reveled in the taste of the cool citrusy liquid as it ran down her throat. It was still relatively warm in Trenton and sitting in a trailer was certainly not an option seeing as it drew in heat rather than protecting the women from the humidity.

Stephanie slouched in her seat and let out a sigh. "It's hard to say," she said. She set her glass down on the cement and sighed. "He's at the office most of the day dealing with an influx of new clients. I'm spending a lot of time catching skips, and am already asleep by the time he gets home." She picked up her glass to take a sip.

"Is the sex still good?" Lula asked with a grunt. She held a small fan in front of her face. There was no need to sugar coat these things after all. Ranger was one fine male specimen, and everyone knew it. The least Stephanie could do was throw Lula a bone, or two.

Stephanie choked on her lemonade, but really? What was she expecting? Lula got a hot flash every time Ranger walked into the room. A few coughs later, and she was able to look at Lula without her eyes falling out of their sockets. "Of course the sex is _still_ good," she said stiffly. She eyed the portly woman before letting another cough escape her lips. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Have kids in the house changes things," Lula said as she shrugged. "Two teenage girls. Ranger's probably hiding out at the office because of all the hormones."

Stephanie snorted. The last thing that would scare Ranger off was teenage drama. For the most part, Julie and Allegra didn't have a lot of problems. Allegra was complaining about calculus, but Cayden helped her when she was stuck, so she was easily quelled. Julie was a little irked over some girl in her choir class who seemed to think she was God's gift to the music industry- when in truth she couldn't carry a tune to save her life. If anything, Ranger found the slightest bit of normalcy amusing amidst the everyday chaos that seemed to follow his fiancé.

"On the brighter side of our current work situation," Connie began. It didn't really take a genius to know that she was talking about the trailer. "It's been a while since someone's tried to kill anyone we know."

Stephanie snorted indignantly. She knew it was only a matter of time until Vinnie bailed out some psychopath- like he always did. Then, said psychopath would go FTA (probably to spite Stephanie), and Stephanie's bounty hunter duties would be kicked into high gear. Again. Lula had placed a bet that this time they would be chased down by some guy with a chainsaw. Stephanie just hoped that is was someone she could outrun until employees from Rangeman showed up to save the damsel in distress. Again.

Stephanie pushed herself out of the chair. "I should head back to Princeton."

"Why do you have mini you's car?" Lula asked. "I thought she didn't let you drive your car because you have a tendency to blow them up."

"The Porsche is being serviced, and I needed to check in here, so she let me use it," Stephanie answered casually. She wouldn't mention the reluctance on Allegra's part to hand over the keys.

"I hope you're being careful with," Connie stated. "I bet she would find the first scratch you get on its pristine paint job."

Stephanie looked over at the shiny candy apple red Beetle and smiled. "That's why I've been super careful. Allie would hate me if something happened."

A dark SUV came cruising by and the three women stared at it. As soon as it disappeared from sight, they shivered as a cold chill passed through them.

"Creepy," Stephanie muttered becoming all too familiar with the feeling. She made her way to the trailer to grab her purse and some files on past skips that had court appearances coming up. If you can't make them show up for court, at least you could be ready to check all their old haunts when they went FTA. She found Moocher sitting in front of fan. He spoke random sentences into the blades so that his voice was mechanical.

"Hey, Dude," he greeted as he giggled.

"What's up, Mooner?" Stephanie asked with a gentle smile. She swung her bag over her shoulder and pulled Allegra's car keys out.

"Just livin' life, ya know?" Mooner grinned.

Stephanie laughed and rolled her eyes. She walked over to the door. "Well, you keep living, Mooner."

Stephanie opened the door only to be thrown back by an explosion. Mooner fell out of his seat and covered his ears. After getting her breath back, Stephanie pushed herself up and jumped out of the trailer. She was searching her purse for her gun, but of course it was under all of her make-up, junk, and receipts.

Lula and Connie were on the ground with their hands over their heads for protections. Stephanie looked around frantically searching for something to explain the explosion. She saw the black SUV from before screeched down the street and rounded a corner on two wheels. Allegra's vintage candy apple red Bug was engulfed in red, orange, and yellow flames several feet tall. Stephanie pulled her thick curly hair away from her face as shocked had started to set in. The Bug was gone.

She had another car blow up while it was in her custody. Normally, she could guess at who had been behind the explosion, but today, at that moment, she couldn't come up with an answer. Even Connie had mentioned that nobody had tried to kill any of them. So why would someone blow up Allegra's beautiful car?

Connie and Lula pushed themselves off the ground as sirens screamed in the distance. Both women stood on either side of Stephanie while they waited for the police, fire, and EMTs to arrive.

"Are you guys okay?" Stephanie asked as her gaze stayed on the burning car.

Connie dusted herself off and examined her nails. "Just another day with Stephanie Plum," she shrugged as she patted her hair back into place. She pulled a piece of burned upholstery from her frizz and flicked it off her finger in distaste.

"She's going to kill you," Lula said. Stephanie didn't need to think of the 'she' Lula was referring to.

Morelli's SUV pulled up along with two cop cars, two fire engines, and an EMT. Morelli slid out of the car and walked over with a bemused grin. "I knew I'd find you here," he said. He put his hands on his hip as he bit his lip to avoid laughter. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes," Stephanie whispered. Her voice had raised an octave despite the quiet confirmation.

Morelli let out a bark of laughter and bent over. "She's going to kill you!"

A few minutes later Ranger pulled up as the fireman sprayed a large stream of water on the burning car. Stephanie looked at him over her shoulder as he shook his head minutely. Morelli glanced over and nodded by way of a proper greeting among men. Stephanie left the group and walked over to her fiancé.

"She's going to kill me," Stephanie moaned.

Ranger pulled her close as he smiled. "Do you think I could assuage her with a Porsche?" he asked wittily.

Stephanie laughed slightly. "That car was so special to her," she said as she started to cry. She couldn't help it. Everything was going so well, and then another car blew up.

"Any idea who did it this time?" Ranger asked scanning the area discreetly. He could feel somebody watching them, but couldn't place a direction. The street was full of onlookers and twice as many hiding places.

"A black SUV," Stephanie said. "It passed by before. I walked into the trailer to get my things and head home."

"It passed by before?" Ranger asked this told him something. The bomber- whoever it was, was checking for something. The fact that they came back around to blow up the car while it was empty indicated a threat. Now he had to figure out who the threat was aimed at: Stephanie or someone else close to her. Someone who would be around to see the charred remains of the car. Someone like Morelli, or Ranger himself. "I'm going to put Bobby and Lester on babysitting duty."

Stephanie pushed herself back and looked at him. "I'm fine," she said stubbornly. She didn't need people to protect her.

"It's not for you," Ranger said seriously. His jaw was tight which told Stephanie that this was more than just blowing up a car because it was fun. "This was a threat. Bobby and Lester will be watching Julie and Allegra. We don't need to expose them to an unnecessary trouble."

"Do you think whoever did this will go after the girls?" Stephanie asked as she swallowed.

"No," Ranger answered. Nobody had been so bold since Allie and Stephanie had been abducted by Magnusson. He was deranged. Any intelligent person would know that going after the two teenager would incur the wrath of Rangeman, Stephanie Plum, and the Trenton Police Department (Morelli freely admitted that he had grown fond of the two girls). But, it was better if he was on the safe side. "They miss spending time with the girls."

"Do you think they could tell Allie what happened to the car?" Stephanie asked hopefully.

"I don't think they're going to want her screaming at them," Ranger shook with laughter. "I'm sure they would watch, though."

"Great," Stephanie grumbled unpleasantly.

"Let's head home."

Normally, Stephanie would have swooned after hearing those words, but today she was more concerned with the words her daughter would have after she found out that Little Red Riding Hood was no more.

0o0

"You blew up my car!" Allegra shrieked as she stood stiffly in the living room. Her fists were clenched tightly at her side.

Cayden McAllister sighed and raked a hand through his long shaggy brown hair. His blue eyes shown in the light of the table lamp next to his spot on the couch. "Allegra, don't yell in the house," he scolded.

Allegra snapped her head in his direction. "Mom blew up my car, Dad," she said pointedly. "How can I not yell?"

"It wasn't Stephanie," Julie defended. "She said someone in a black SUV blew it up."

Allegra fell into the couch and covered her face with her hands. "This is what happened when you let the bombshell bounty hunter borrow your classic car," she groaned. "That's possibly the biggest mistake I've ever made. And this tops pulling out of early admission for Princeton."

_No need to be dramatic. _Stephanie thought as she mentally rolled her eyes. "Ranger will let you borrow one of his cars," she stated. Maybe an expensive sports car would help. Just maybe.

"_Ya da_," Allegra grumbled her classic Japanese denial. It normally translated to 'I don't want to'. "Keep your fancy German sports car."

Ranger rolled back on his heels and glanced over at Stephanie. "How about the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle? It has the same classic look as your old car, but the mileage is better than you got with Little Red Riding Hood." It killed him every time he said the full name of Allegra's car.

Allegra moved her fingers to peek at her soon-to-be step-father. She eyed him suspiciously. Her car was her precious, and now it was in car heaven.

"We'll paint it your favorite candy apple red, and it can be a Little Red Riding Hood two point o'," Bobby spoke up from the kitchen. He and Lester had been listening intently as they ate some left over Chinese food from dinner.

"This is all very diplomatic to you isn't it, Will Scarlet?" Allegra asked.

Everyone at Rangeman who associated with Allegra and the rest of her friends on a regular basis were given names from _The Adventures of Robin Hood_. Allegra called them 'secret identities' and even changed the names in her phone book to match each one. Lester was Friar Tuck, Tank was Little John, Ranger was Robin Hood, and Bobby was Will Scarlet. Stephanie had easily adopted the match to Robin Hood, Maid Marianne.

"Hey, at least you get a new car," Lester barked.

Ranger raised an eyebrow as he watched Allie. Her tirade was simmering down at the prospect of a brand new car right off the manufacturing line.

"Mom is not allowed to borrow this one," Allie conceded slightly.

"Your mom will not touch the new car," Ranger grinned knowing he had won. Now he just had to buy a new car and paint it. He only needed to remind himself that even small wins were still a win. Allegra needed a car to get to and from school, and seeing as she took Julie with her, it was a good investment. Provided she didn't adopt her mother's knack for blowing up cars.

"That's not fair!" Stephanie stated. "What if it's the only car available?"

"No!" everyone chorused.

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: A new chapter, a new adventure, a new car. I hope you all liked the chapter because I'm not off to delve into the land of Criminal Minds so I can get some writing done there before school sticks its nose into my business once more.

Leave a review letting me know what you think.

Ren


	3. Chapter 3

Author: Ren Kayashima

Rating: T

Disclaimer: It is sad to say that my attempt to get the rights to the Stephanie Plum characters was unsuccessful. They still belong to Janet Evanovich, who is one lucky person for having a mind like that.

0o0o0o0

Chapter Three:

September 15, 2011

Stephanie was slowing losing her mind what with the constant surveillance, her mother's nagging, and Grandma Mazur's everyday attempts to state her independence. It all seemed to hit Stephanie at once, and she was ready for it to end.

Ranger wouldn't lift security until he was sure everyone was safe, but so far, he had no leads. Just a fire bombed Bug and a vanishing SUV. So, there wasn't much Stephanie could do but accept the fact that two burly men would accompany her anywhere and everywhere. They would even stand stalk still in front of the girl's bathroom as they waited for her to finish her business.

As for her mother's nagging, well, that wasn't going to end anytime soon. With the wedding preparations in the air, and the fast approaching arrive of Ranger's family; Stephanie was knee deep in a whole lot of family drama. Helen Plum was determined to welcome the Manoso's with open arms to Trenton, and Stephanie wasn't going to stop her.

Grandma Mazur was a character, and Stephanie was all too happy to admit that she was the greatest grandmother a girl could ask for. However, she wanted to go a couple days without another request to drive Grandma to the latest, and greatest, funeral viewing. Stephanie needed a break from the weekly family dinners, if only to get out of taking Grandma on another adventure. Since she lived in Princeton now, this was just the slightest bit more manageable, but family dinners were required for Sundays.

Stephanie rested her head against her desk at Rangeman and groaned. Could she hit the pause button on life and just breathe? Things would be so much easier for her if she could.

"Babe, if you fall asleep like that, you'll be stuck with a sore neck for the rest of the week," Ranger spoke from the edge of the cubicle.

Stephanie sat up and pulled her chair closer to her desk. "Please tell me you found out who blew up Allegra's car," she practically pleaded.

"No," Ranger said stepping into the cubicle. He rested his hands on her shoulders and started to knead the knots out of her tense muscles. "What else is going on?"

"Your parents are coming tomorrow," Stephanie groaned again. "My mom is nuts, and Grandma wants me to take her to Maurice Beaumont's viewing at the funeral parlor because 'it's not every day you see a Frenchman put to rest.'" Stephanie made finger quotes and rolled her eyes as she did her best imitation of Edna.

"Tell Grandma that you can't make it," Ranger said simply. "Say you have to pick Allegra up from youth orchestra because she still doesn't have a new car."

Stephanie took a moment to process his words. Could it really be that easy? She tried to stand up, but Ranger's firm massaging hands kept her in her seat. "That's brilliant," she whispered as she suppressed a moan of delight when she felt a kink in her neck disappear. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Your attention is being pulled in fifteen different directions, and you don't know how to micromanage very well," Ranger answered. "I'm not sure how to help with your mom, but I already told you that I'll handle my parent's arrival. They're bringing my grandmother, too."

"What?" Stephanie yelped. "When did this happen?"

"Last night," Ranger answered simply. "She kept me in line while I was in high school. You shouldn't really be surprised that she wants to meet you."

"That's precisely why it's bad!" Stephanie said. "What does she call you? _Mijo?"_

"Maybe," Ranger smiled stiffly.

"Crap," Stephanie muttered.

"Finish your current search, take a deep breath, call Grandma Mazur to tell her you can't make it, and then head to the symphony hall to catch the end of Allie's practice. You'll feel better. I guarantee it."

Stephanie rubbed her temples. Ranger was probably right. Allegra's music could always relax her when she felt like she was breaking under all the pressure. Music could do that for anyone, she figured. How often had she found a world of her won when she was listening to The Eagles or Pink Floyd? Music was good for the soul, and for a while Stephanie had neglected its relaxing powers. That changed after she moved to Princeton where she heard nightly piano and violin ballads come from the living room.

Ranger gave a ghost of a smile before he gave his fiancé one last reassuring squeeze. And just like that, he was gone, and Stephanie felt a lot better than she had only a few minutes ago.

Ten minutes later Stephanie was seen leaving Rangeman in one of the Porsches and she was closely followed by Hal and Cal.

Ranger was seated behind his desk staring at a stream of his security cameras. He felt the muscles in his jaw tighten when Stephanie's car disappeared from the camera's range. The fact that someone had made another attempt on her life was not a thought he enjoyed. He always looked impassive on the outside, but inside was a whole other matter. He was angry because he had yet to come up with an answer.

He let out an inaudible sigh and tried to come up with a game plan. He had to arrange his staff so that two men were always available to watch Stephanie. Bobby and Lester had been permanently assigned to stay with the girls. Bobby and Lester enjoyed the teenage antic, and Julie and Allegra didn't complain about their two lovable guard dogs.

0o0o0o0

Stephanie sat in between Tank and Call. They were seated at her mother's dining room table eating lunch after a victorious capture. They had stepped at the Plum house to get a hearty meal away from Ranger's health conscious eyes. Unfortunately, they had walked into wedding plan hell.

Helen Plum came bustling out of the kitchen holding a stack of magazines. "Stephanie, what kind of dress do you have in mind?" Halter, sleeves, strapless, cocktail length, long train?"

"Mom, can I please just eat my food without you trying to shove wedding plans down my throat?" Stephanie asked with a half moan. She grabbed her glass of water and took a large gulp.

She didn't dare mention that Allegra and Julie were much gentler about the wedding when it came to asking about plans. In fact, the two girls managed to be more help than her own mother. They simply handed her a book with their recommendations and let her make her own choice. Her mom, on the other hand was constantly asking her a long line of questions that almost never made sense. What was a tea-length dress or a fingertip veil?

"Well it's clear you aren't concerned with it," Grandma Mazur said. She plopped into a chair across from her granddaughter. "We don't even know when the wedding is. How can we book a church or the hall for the reception?"

"I was actually thinking about having the ceremony and the reception outside in the late spring," Stephanie said as she shifted in her seat. She and Tank exchanged sideways glances. "I need to talk to Ranger about it though. I mean he should have some say in the plans."

"Are you going to continue calling him that?" Helen asked. "He had a real name. I think it's time you use it. You are engaged to be married."

Again Stephanie and Tank exchanged glances. "You think I should call him Carlos?" Stephanie asked feeling like she had spoken a foreign language. "But I've always called him Ranger."

"He's your fiancé," Helen moaned. "And why would you have an outdoor wedding?"

"What's wrong with an outdoor wedding?" Stephanie felt her voice rising slightly.

"Your shoes and dress with get grass stains," Grandma Mazur stated knowingly. "Who's going to be your maid of honor?"

And with that, Stephanie stood up quickly, not ready to announce her choice. Mostly because she had yet to make a choice in the matter. It seemed like, invariably, there would be someone who was upset because they didn't get to be the MOH. "Sorry, but Tank, Cal and I have another skip to catch. Tanks for lunch!" she said before she grabbed her messenger bag and rushed for the door. Her personal guard squad was quick to follow.

Once Stephanie was locked away in her car, she rested her head against the steering wheel. Her phone chirped happily and she pulled it from her purse to look at the lit up screen.

_Orchestra class got a new piece today. I think I might try for the solo in 'Scheherazade'. What do you think? –A_

And Stephanie smiled. She was asked a question that didn't have to do with nuptials or dresses, or veils, cakes, or location. A simple question. One that didn't make Stephanie grind her teeth in aggravation. She typed out a reply before she turned over the engine in her car. _Go for it. I'll be home later to listen to you practice._

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: The time it took me to update this story is something I find unacceptable in my book. For me, as the writer, to post a story and not update for more than a couple months is deplorable. I apologize for this. School got really hard all of a sudden, and writing was put on the backburner. Thank you for being patient.

The next chapter will be the arrival of Ranger's family. Which means the fun is only about to start.

Please leave a review letting me know what you think.

Ren


	4. Chapter 4

Author: Ren Kayashima

Rating: T

Disclaimer: It is sad to say that my attempt to get the rights to the Stephanie Plum characters was unsuccessful. They still belong to Janet Evanovich, who is one lucky person for having a mind like that.

0o0o0o0

Chapter Four:

September 16, 2011

Stephanie and Cayden stood in the middle of their living room and gave it an appraising look. It wasn't dirty, but it wasn't tidy either. Scattered around the room were various school supplies, electronic devices, scraps of paper with sketches and written blurbs.

"We need to talk to the girls about taking their things upstairs at the end of the day," Cayden said shaking his head. "They'll clean all of this up when they get back from school. Allegra doesn't have orchestra tonight, so she'll be able to join us for dinner without passing out."

Stephanie laughed lightly. "Well at least there's that," she said. She made her way to the kitchen. "Why don't you go the store, I'll clean the kitchen."

"All of it?" Cayden asked.

"Cayden, I do clean," Stephanie sighed. "Besides, you always use the wrong cleaner on the counters."

"It's all-purpose cleaner!" Cayden exclaimed. "It works on everything. What do you mean 'You always use the wrong cleaner?'"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and walked into the large stainless steel kitchen. She came back out with a sheet of paper and held it out for Cayden to take. "Just get the shopping done. The list is pretty big, so it should keep you busy."

0o0o0o0

Ranger stood in Newark airport with a patience that was only seen around family and friends. After he had left the office to pick up his parents, Tank had called to let him know that there was an unexpected delay on their way up from Florida, so there was an hour long wait. Ranger didn't really see the point in driving back to Trenton, just so he could drive back.

Why his family had retired to Florida, Ranger never really understood, but he had been grateful. Julie had grown up knowing both sets of grandparents, and even a great grandmother. Julie needed to know her family even if Rachel's current husband had adopted Julie. You couldn't deny blood, and Julie loved being with her biological father's grandparents. Possibly because they spoiled her rotten.

Ranger checked his watch and then checked the arrival board. The plane had landed safely and his family would be coming into the baggage claim area any minute now. He felt his phone buzz.

It was a text message from Stephanie. _Julie is bouncing off the walls. She can't wait until you all get here._

_She likes spending time with her grandparents. They spoil her. _Ranger replied.

_I sent Allie and Julie to the bakery to grab some éclairs. That should keep them busy for a bit. Bobby and Lester are with them._

_Is Julie's room clean?_

_Spotless, but I think it's all under her bed… Will your grandmother look under there?_

Ranger felt his mouth twitch and he looked away from his phone and toward the walkway where recent arrivals flooded through. He heard a small spat going on in the middle of the mass of people and he knew that his family had arrived.

"Lupe, I swear, if you give this girl a hard time in any way, I'll stop going to bridge club with you," a woman stated.

"If she's going to marry Carlos, then I have every right to determine her worth to the Manoso line. I expect more little ones in this family, and she better live up to it," another much older woman responded shrewdly.

"I thought she already had a kid," A man butted in in an effort to keep the growing conversation from getting out of hand. "A girl, Julie's age. It's some weird Italian name."

"It's Allegra, dear," the first woman stated.

"I still don't understand the gay father part," the older woman said. "Is he a sperm donor who just wanted to be in the girl's life?"

"Mama!" the first woman hissed. "We're in a public place. Don't mention such things so loud."

"Carmen, I don't think you'll be able to stop her from saying sperm," the man sighed.

Ranger shook his head. Antonio Manoso, his father, frequently played the role of referee between his mother, Lupe, and his wife, Carmen. It was a common sight, so Ranger wasn't at all surprised to fine the somewhat tall figure of his father separating the two, much shorter women.

Lupe Manoso was just shy of five foot three, but the short stout figure was not to be underestimated. She had dark, piercing eyes that could see a lie form a mile away, a small nose that could small the worst alcohols, and ears like a hawk. Of course, she had to be this way after raising two demon boys only to be handed her delinquent grandson when he was only a teenager, and hardly the respectable man that ran Rangeman Security. Well… he was somewhat respectable.

Carmen Manoso was not to be trifled with either, but she didn't need to scare people into submission like her mother-in-law. No, Carmen possessed a bit of finesse that came with a college degree from New York University, and she was capable of using the deepest forms of logic to get her way. She also knew when to pass the baton, too. While Carlos had never once outright defied his mother (his father was a different story), Carmen knew that Carlos was not headed down a good walk of life as he grew up in New Jersey. A year or two with Lupe Manoso would sort him out, she thought, and as always with her instincts, she had been correct.

Ranger stayed where he was. He was strategically placed at a baggage claim station that advertised the arrival of his parent's flight. He needn't move any further to catch his family's suitcases.

Carmen was the first one to see her son and she let out a cry of joy. "Miho!" she exclaimed as she bustled over.

Ranger obligingly opened his arms out so that Carmen could wrap her arms around him. Carmen pulled his head down a bit so that she could properly greet him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Mom," Ranger said with a smile.

Lupe and Antonio stood only a few feet away as they waited for their chance to greet Ranger. It had been a while since they had had a chance to spend some time with Ranger. He didn't make nearly as many trips down to Florida now that Julie had been with him for several months now.

"You didn't bring Stephanie with you," Carmen said looking around curiously. She had been hoping that her son's fiancé would be at the airport.

"She's back in Princeton. She wants to make sure that dinner goes well, so there are some last minute preparations," Ranger explained. He didn't plan on bringing Stephanie to begin with. He knew that she was nervous, and getting things ready at the house was more her speed.

Carmen backed away with a smile. "Of course," she said simply. "Well, we look forward to meeting her nonetheless."

Lupe moved forward and stole her grandson away from her daughter-in-law. "Carlos, you look different," she said scrutinizing him carefully. "I see that this Stephanie had added a woman's touch. I just wish that you have brought her to come meet us sooner. I'm not getting any younger."

Ranger smiled. "I've missed you, Abuela."

Lupe patted him on the cheek. "You don't mean that," she chuckled. She quickly changed topics. "Now what's the deal with the whole gay father thing?"

"Abuela, I'm sure we can talk more about this when we get to the house. Cayden, Stephanie, and Allegra are all anxious to meet you," Ranger said giving the best diplomatic response he could muster. He wasn't sure how to tell them that Stephanie had been a nervous wreck for the entire week leading up to their arrival. Tonight had to be perfect.

Ranger gave his father a smile and a curt no, and the family turned to the topic of retirement in Florida. It seemed like the family was doing well. Antonio had taken up a weekly obligation to join a low stakes game of poker with some of the other retirees.

Carmen and Lupe had joined a Hispanic version of the Red Hat Society and they were overjoyed to have activities to do. "It gets so boring when you stay home every day," Lupe said woefully one day when she had called Ranger up.

0o0o0o0

Ranger stepped into the Manoso/McAllister/Plum house carrying two of the suitcases that had come with his family while Antonio dragged his own bag behind him. Antonio, Carmen, and Lupe surveyed the living room.

"There are a lot of books," Antonio said glancing from one full book shelf to another. He wasn't much of a reader himself, but from what Carmen said, the gay father was from a family that was well off. Perhaps they valued old books.

"Cayden is an English Professor at Princeton, Allegra and Julie are also making their way through the book collection while they keep adding more," Ranger explained with a glimmer of a smile.

Julie came running from the kitchen. "Grandma, Abuela!" she cheered. She bounced excitedly as she hugged everyone tightly. He long dark brown hair seemed to grow the more excited she got.

"You've grown a bit," Antonio noticed as his grin grew. He was a happy grandfather and he showed it all the time.

Cayden came out of his downstairs bedroom. He was in a simple pair of khaki pants and a knitted sweater. He was wearing a pair of black rimmed reading glasses that framed his smiling eyes. He held a book in one hand and waved with the other. "Hello," he greeted.

Stephanie poked her head out of the kitchen before she walked out. "Dinner will be ready in about a half hour. I sent Allegra to the store to get something we missed. Julie came back after the trip to the bakery because she didn't want to miss her grandparent's arrival." Stephanie gave Cayden a slightly annoyed look.

Cayden sighed. "I told you, I'm sorry," Cayden said. "Allegra will get the rice, and we'll be sorted."

Ranger narrowed his eyes and turned to face Stephanie. "Babe, Allegra isn't supposed to leave the house while my guys are off duty," Ranger said in a tone of false pleasantness.

"Tank took her," Stephanie said with a stiff smile. "He dropped off something for you to sign. It's up in the office, so he offered to take Allegra to the store so that she could pick up some rice. She also mentioned getting a new brush after the handle on hers broke."

"Why does Allegra need someone from Rangeman to be with her?" Carmen asked as her curiosity had been perked.

"Someone blew up her car," Julie said. "We're all being followed by dad's workers. Allie and I are always together, so Bobby and Lester are the guys who are with us most of the time. When Dad gets home, they leave."

"Oh," Carmen said as she gave her son a reproachful look.

"We're working on it," Ranger said quickly. "Allegra is just safer with other people around. She has a tendency to get in trouble like her mom does, though."

Carmen didn't look pleased. It was almost as if the idea of any child who was in remotest form of danger troubled her. It brought out the mother in her. "We'll talk about this later," she muttered. And they would talk about it. A lot.

The front door shot open and Allegra ran through it. Tank followed quickly behind her. "I've got the rice!" she exclaimed. "I saw Ranger's car, am I too late?"

She stopped next to Cayden and turned around to face the Manoso family.

Lupe let out a high pitched scream as Allegra's eyes turned ever so red in the light. The elderly woman's eyes rolled up into the back of her head as she moved to collapse to the ground. Ranger quickly moved forward and prevented her from falling to the ground where she would hit her head.

"Abuela!" Julie yelped as her father easily picked Lupe up and moved over to the couch.

Allegra looked at the ground as she linked her fingers behind her back. The bag of rice now lay are her feet as she kicked at the hard wood. "You didn't tell them I was an albino, did you?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper.

Ranger looked his grandmother over. "I forgot to mention it," he said. "Does it really matter?"

Allegra ran upstairs before anyone could say anything else. Ranger knew that it did matter, but his Abuela was a little more important. Julie frowned when she heard a door close. "Great," she muttered. She turned to her dad. "Is Abuela going to be okay?"

"She's just a little shocked," Cayden said. "That tends to happen when Allegra comes bursting in on people who don't know about her condition. I suspect you great grandmother screamed because of the red eyes that flashed momentarily."

Lupe moaned and mumbled incoherently. It took another minute for her to open her eyes. "I saw a ghost," she said.

"That was Allegra," Ranger said. "She's an albino."

"They actually exist

"They actually exist?" Lupe asked.

Ranger nodded and grimaced when his father let out an audible snort. "Babe, do you want to see if Allegra is okay?" he asked.

Stephanie didn't answer, but hurried up the stairs and turned down the hall towards Allegra and Julie's bedrooms. While Ranger's family was in town, Julie would be sleeping on the hidden trundle bed in Allegra's room, so that Lupe had a place to sleep.

Lupe sat up and looked at Ranger. Her eyes were red," she whispered.

"They're actually a light purple," Julie supplied. "There's a lack of pigmentation in her eyes which gives them a purplish color regularly. However, this changes when light hits them the right way. The light reflects on a part of the eyes and they look red. Think about it like red-eye on a picture, but in real life. It's the red blood cells you're seeing."

Ranger and Cayden both looked impressed. Julie's cheeks darkened in embarrassment. "Allegra explained it all to me after we met. She wanted to make sure that I knew about some of the things I might see. It's all really interesting."

Stephanie came down the stairs with a small smile. Ranger could see that it was the most she could muster considering the circumstances. "Carlos, she would like to speak to you when you get a chance." S

Ranger blinked. Stephanie had just called him 'Carlos', and he didn't know if this was good or bad. She had always called him Ranger. He looked back to his grandmother when she tugged on his sleeve. She had a small smile on her face. It was forced, but he appreciated the effort.

"Will you apologize for me?" Lupe asked.

"She would probably prefer it if you apologized yourself," Ranger shook his head. He had been around Allegra to know that she preferred apologies from the source.

"Allie doesn't expect you to Apologize," Stephanie said helpfully. "It's happened enough, she just hides away for a bit. She does it to give the people she frightened some space."

Ranger sighed. Every day was a learning experience with this family, and he wouldn't change it. Well, maybe he would make it a little less dangerous. He stood up all the way and looked at his parents. "I'll be back."

He slowly moved upstairs and knocked on Allies door. He heard her give a muffled consent for him to enter the room, and he pushed the door open.

Allegra was lying on her back with a stuffed longhorn sitting on the top of her face. She had picked it up over the summer when her grandparents had taken Julie, Allie, and her twin cousins Wendy and John, to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. If Ranger remembered correctly, the longhorn's name was Crockett. Julie had a bison named Travis, the lieutenant colonel who supposedly drew a line in the sand to see who would fight.

Ranger closed the door and glanced around. Julie's school things sat on Allie's desk next to her computer. "I thought you would be sitting in the window seat watching James as he worked on homework," he spoke carefully.

Allegra's window seat gave her a perfect view into her boyfriend's bedroom. Ranger had discovered that they would always talk when they were by their window. They wouldn't have to leave the house, but they could still see each other. He couldn't really understand it seeing as they spent every day at school with each other and then there was the night time orchestra practice.

"That doesn't sound creepy," Allegra mumbled. "He's not home. They took his younger sister to the mall to get her ears pierced for her tenth birthday. He went with to hold her hand. He also mentioned early Christmas shopping."

Ranger moved over to the queen sized bed and found that the twin trundle had yet to be pulled out. "I thought your mom told you to have the trundle set up before my family got her."

"Why?" Allegra asked. "This bed can handle two teenage girls. I only pull the trundle out when Wendy is with us."

Ranger stood there and stared at the longhorn covering the high school junior's face. She patted the open spot of the bed next to her. "Lay down, please," she ordered. "Make sure you take your shoes off."

Ranger looked at the desk chair and thought about how much he would have preferred to sit there with his shoes on, but knowing how stubborn Allegra could get (much like her mother), she wouldn't talk unless she was ready. This reminded the former ranger about climbing a tree just to talk to her. There was also the time when she stopped by his office for a chat.

It took him a minute to get settled on the bed next to the petite teenager. He rested his hands on his stomach and started at the gray ceiling. It was so bland compared to the rest of the room, but what could you do with a grey ceiling. Julie's room had a bunch of hand painted sunset clouds on her ceiling. Allegra's was just blank.

"Is your grandmother okay?" Allegra asked to break the silence.

"She's fine; she was just shocked a little."

"She feinted," Allie sighed. "I wouldn't call that a little shock."

"Nothing gets by you." Ranger stated sardonically.

"I should have expected it," Allie shrugged. She pulled Crockett off of her face and turned towards Ranger. "I guess it's just been a long time since it's happened I forgot that people can find my appearance to be the slightest bit unsettling."

"When was the last time it happened?" Ranger asked. He kept his eyes on the ceiling even though he could feel Allegra's purple eyes staring at him.

Allegra closed her eyes and tried to remember. "I was thirteen. Dad's teaching assistant came in on her first day. Dad hadn't had a chance to tell her I was albino and that I spent a lot of time in his office. She screamed so shrilly that another professor called campus security."

"Did you run away then?"

Allegra shook her head. "I hid behind my dad's desk and read a new book while he tried to sort everything out. He's used to explaining it all. The cop talked to me for a few minutes, but he could never look me in the eye. Then it was all over," she explained. "Are you sure your grandmother is all right?"

"She's okay. Are you going to come down for dinner?"

Allegra blew out an exaggerated breath and hugged the longhorn close. "I suppose I will," she said mockingly. "But if your family can't stop staring at me, I'm going to come back up here. I don't like when people stare at me."

"Why don't I talk to them first," Ranger suggested. Stephanie wouldn't be very happy if Allegra spent the entire night, possibly the entire week, locked in her room.

"Thank you," Allied said as Ranger pushed himself up.

Ranger pulled his shoes on and looked at Allegra. "Are you okay?"

Allegra bit her lip. "Would you be if someone screamed when they saw you?" she asked as an answer. She shrugged. "I mean, I will be. It'll take a couple hours, but I'll be fine. I just like to brood. Just because I know it's likely to happen, doesn't mean I like when it does."

Ranger nodded and left Allegra lying on her bed. He would talk to his family and hopefully everyone would be able to brave a dinner with his parents.

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: As much as I wanted to include the dinner, I think 3500 words for a chapter is long enough. I try not to go over that because then people tell me that my chapter was just a bit too long or something like that. The dinner will be the highlight of the next chapter, but that's not to say you'll see it, but rather its aftermath and a few snippets to make everything clear. I think I can get about one update a month for this story. School's pretty complicated right now, and I do have other projects, so my time is stretched a little thin.

Anyway, drop me a review and let me know what you think.

Ren


	5. Chapter 5

Author: Ren Kayashima

Rating: T

Disclaimer: It is sad to say that my attempt to get the rights to the Stephanie Plum characters was unsuccessful. They still belong to Janet Evanovich, who is one lucky person for having a mind like that.

0o0o0o0

Chapter Five:

September 17, 2011

Ranger sat in his office staring at the screen. He was trying to go over some reports that had been submitted by his employees, but he found his progress stalled by thought about the disastrous family dinner the night before. After Abuela feinted, things only got worse. At least that's the way they entire family chose to see it, and Ranger had a hard time disagreeing.

Although, Allegra had gotten over her issues pretty quickly compared to Stephanie who had come into the office looking irritated and sleep deprived. She had made Ranger sleep on the couch as punishment for not properly notifying his family of some of the more striking features in her family.

"Mom, stop getting on Ranger's case about it," Allegra's voice popped into his head. She had taken the side of 'Team Ranger' and he was grateful. "He's only human. With hackers making security more difficult, he's under a lot of pressure from clients to make sure all of their assets are protected. Then there's the mystery car bomber, and let's not forget Gram's constant bombardment when it comes to wedding plans. Cut him some slack."

This only did little to help his case because of mama bear instincts, but he had an ally, and it couldn't be a more important one, he thought.

Lupe, the ever curious cat, wouldn't stop asking questions about Allegra's existence, and Cayden's presence. Towards the end of dinner, Cayden choked on his wine when good ol' Abuela asked if the English professor ever felt emasculated around her grandson. However, Cayden played the part of sophisticated New Yorker. He swallowed, gave a gentle smile, and explained that despite the machismo that Ranger exuded, Cayden didn't really feel emasculated. As a gay man, he certainly didn't feel threatened. After all, Cayden's attraction was geared more towards the scholar.

The night could end at dinner though. That would be too easy. Far too easy.

There was a knock on his door, and Ranger looked away from his computer to break his train of thought.

"Come in," he said quickly.

The door opened and Julie hobbled in on crutches. "Hey, Dad," she greeted.

"How are you getting along on those," Ranger asked pointed the pen he held in his hands at the ambulation devices. At least, that's what the medical bill would call them.

"I don't like them," Julie grumbled. "At least Allegra only has a dislocated wrist. I had to end up with a fractured ankle."

Ranger leaned back in his seat with a blank stare. "How's the pain?" he asked. He clicked the pen a few times as he waited for his daughter to answer. He gave a minute shake of his head while Julie messed with the boot on her foot.

"Pain killers are okay, but it's hard to focus in school," Julie grumbled and she reached for a pen to scratch her leg. Ranger pulled his pen cup away from her and she glared at the cup. "Zook gave me his notes to look at later though," she said as she dug a finger in the boot.

"Stupid dog," Ranger said.

Julie snapped her head up. "Don't call Duke stupid. It's not his fault!" she said harshly.

"You have a fractured ankle and Allegra has a dislocated wrist. That means she can't practice or perform in orchestra until it heals," Ranger said simply. "Duke caused all of this."

"He's just a dog," Julie said. "He was over excited, and he wanted to get out of the house."

"Right," Ranger said dully as he thought about the previous night's horrible end.

0o0o0o0

_Last Night_

"You have a dog?" Carmen asked with a small smile. She had been talking with the two teenagers about school and Allegra had mentioned that after school, the Wonderland Brigade would take a walk with their dogs in the park.

"He's a Great Dane," Allegra nodded enthusiastically. "I named him Duke because most people wouldn't understand where I go the name Orsino."

"You like Shakespeare?" Carmen asked happily. "Most kids your age have lost an interest in such important part of literature. They're too concerned with things like Facebook, Twitter, and this tumblr thing I keep hearing about."

Allegra and Julie exchanged knowing glances. The two of them fell in between the two extremes, as did most teens. However, they were closer to the more knowledgeable group of peers.

"Did you notice that all the streets in this neighborhood are named after characters and some places in Shakespearian plays?" Julie asked. "We live in the Midsummer Night's Dream area of the neighborhood."

"Do you really?" Carmen replied sounding overjoyed.

Ranger let out a sigh. Things had finally calmed down. Lupe had a pleasant look on her face as she watched the teens talk with her daughter-in-law. Antonio and Cayden were off in a corner discussing the stock market.

"Can we see the dog?" Lupe asked suddenly.

"Duke?" Allegra asked as she blinked. "Well, I should take him for a walk… Would you perhaps like to join me and Julie?"

"Julie and I," Cayden corrected her as he looked away from Antonio.

Allegra rolled her eyes. "Would you like to join Julie and I?" she repeated.

"That would be perfect, Carlos," Lupe looked at her grandson. "You'll be coming with, of course,"

"Of course, Abuela," Ranger said. "As is, Julie and Allegra are not allowed to go out alone."

"Com off it, Ranger," Allegra said with a scoff as she crossed her arms.

"You've got to stop listening to Harry Potter book tapes…" Julie muttered.

Fifteen minutes later, Julie and Allegra were walking ahead of their parents and the elder Manosos. They spoke quietly of their classes and their upcoming school events.

"So, Stephanie," Carmen smiled gently. "Carlos told me that you're a bounty hunter."

"Yeah," Stephanie drew out slowly. "I mostly get my FTA's with large amounts of luck and determination."

"Well, at least the only man you need to catch is walking right by you." Lupe chuckled.

The large group was walking by a playground and Julie broke away from the group. Allegra walked on the edge of the park with her wrist wrapped in the least. Ranger stopped walking and with a bemused grin, he watched Julie swing across the monkey bars.

Carmen tapped Stephanie on the shoulder. "Walk with me?" she asked.

Stephanie nodded with a wry smiled and followed Carmen to a small walking path. The hairs on the back of her neck raised slightly as Ranger took a moment to watch them. Stephanie glanced over her shoulder, and though she couldn't meet his penetrating dark eyes in the dark, she knew that they were looking right at each other.

"How often does he tell you that he loves you?" Carmen asked looking back at her son.

Stephanie blushed and she was glad for the cover of darkness. "He makes sure I know," she answered.

"Good," Carmen nodded. "I must say, when he told us that you and he were engaged, I was a little surprised. I was under the impression that the two of you weren't in a committed relationship."

Stephanie clasped her hands behind her back as they slowed their pace. How awkward it felt to be having a conversation with her own personal Batman's mom. She shrugged and looked at the stars just barely visible. "Things change," Stephanie said. "After Ranger… Carlos."

"You can call him Ranger, if you like," Carmen said simply. I think he prefers it actually. Carlos has always been a name he begrudgingly responds to."

Stephanie nodded. "Right. After Ranger found out about Alleg-" Stephanie was cut off by a high pitched scream.

"Duke!" Cayden shouted.

Stephanie turned to see Allegra being dragged across the lawn as she yelled. "Ow, ow, ow!"

Duke broke free, and his leash dragged behind him. He ran towards the playground right at Julie. The Great Dane jumped up onto the structure and knocked Julie off her perch. The fifteen year old yelped and fell hard on the ground.

Stephanie left Carmen's side and ran over to Allegra. "Allie!" she shouted. Her voice was anxious and twisted in fear.

Ranger was running towards Julie. She was clutching her ankle as she sobbed loudly. Stephanie looked at him as she crouched next to Allegra as she clutched her arm. She was crying silently.

"Allie what happened?" Stephanie asked frantically.

"There was a raccoon," Allie forced out between dry sobs.

Cayden joined her and pulled Allegra's arm away from her curled up body. "Come on, sweetie, let me see your arm," Cayden whispered. He looked at Stephanie. "I've got this, check on Julie. It looks like Allegra's wrist is dislocated. We'll have to take her to a doctor to determine severity, though. I can't just pop it back in and expect it to be okay. There might be ligament or tendon damage."

Stephanie brushed Allie's bangs out of her face and stood up. She didn't really want to leave the two, but she also wanted to know if Julie was okay. She jogged over to the playground where Ranger was examining the other teenager's ankle.

"It might be broken," Ranger said as he looked up at Stephanie. "What happened?"

"There was a raccoon," Stephanie said simply she didn't really have anything else to say to Ranger. What could she say?

0o0o0o0

Ranger took a deep breath bringing him back to the present moment. He looked at Julie once more. He had hoped that Stephanie and his mother were able to talk for a little bit, but a trip to the Emergency Room for both Julie and Allegra dashed all hopes for this. And it was all the dog's fault.

"How long is Allegra going to be away from the piano and violin?" Julie asked. "She can't play with her arm wrapped up."

"About two months," Ranger said. "Leaning on crutches is going to be hard on your choir practice, too."

"Mr. Wong has me sitting in a chair," Julie said. Her face lit up. "I forgot! Grandma and Abuela wanted me to tell you something. They're making enchiladas tonight. Stephanie already told them they could use the kitchen. I think they're getting along well now that the first night has passed."

Ranger suppressed the urge not to snort. His Abuela was the one that screamed and somehow he was the one that ended up sleeping on a couch.

0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, Allegra sat on her mother's desk. Her right wrist was wrapped in fabric bandages and held in a black plastic brace. Stephanie pulled out two snickers out of her desk and handed one to Allegra. She had some difficulty opening the chocolate bar at first.

Stephanie rapped on the top of Allegra's knee. "What are you thinking about?" she asked when Allie looked up.

"Do you want to have a wedding?" Allie asked quietly. She wanted to make sure that nobody would hear her.

Stephanie blinked. "Why would you ask something like that?" Stephanie asked sitting up straighter. "Of course, I want to marry Ranger."

"That's not what I asked," Allegra said defiantly. "A marriage and a wedding are two different things. Do you want a _wedding_?" she said the last word slowly to get her point across.

Stephanie's face fell as she looked at her hands. She had been asking herself this for over a month now, and she had to wonder why she didn't have an answer. It shouldn't be hard. You either wanted a wedding, or you don't. That was the way it worked, right? "I don't know," she admitted. She looked back up. "Why?"

Allie shrugged and swallowed a bite of her chocolate bar. She looked at her mom through her shaded glasses. "You just seemed overwhelmed is all. Maybe the wedding plans are just making things worse. I mean if you want one it would be something else entirely, but if you don't, then aren't you putting yourself through a lot of unnecessary grief?"

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: There! You get an update in two weeks. Awesome… I guess. It's now time to move the plot along a bit. Some more on the mystery bomber. Some answers about the wedding. More family development. Leave me a review and I'll try to get to get a chapter out soon. I'd have another chapter out now, but this month is the month of midterms for all five of my classes. That means essays, tests, and projects.

Ren


End file.
